Friday, August 27, 2010

1. If Manny Ramirez is not claimed by any National League team or the worst teams in the American League prior to the Friday afternoon deadline, then the White Sox will have their shot at him. And if they claimed Ramirez, they might be on the hook for $4.4 million for a player who, in the last 58 days, has two hits in 12 at-bats, with three strikeouts.

The White Sox are interested in the rest of his resume, of course, with the 2,500-plus career hits and 1.000 OPS (precisely) and the many times when pitchers couldn't sneak a ball past him in a big spot.

But suffice to say that few other teams, if any, would even think about paying that kind of price for 4½ weeks of a 38-year-old outfielder. "They're out of their minds if they take on that whole contract," said one high-ranking executive.

Remember, the White Sox have a habit of making deals that others view as crazy. Nobody else in baseball would've taken on the rest of Jake Peavy's contract in the summer of 2009, partly because of the injury risk, and that one hasn't worked out. On the other hand: Nobody else placed a claim on Alex Rios last season, with $60 million remaining on his contract, and Rios has had a solid first full season for Chicago, lowering his hands in his swing and mashing 17 homers, with a .288 batting average. That deal, in which the White Sox gave up nothing but the waiver fee, has worked out well.

Part of the risk/reward equation that others can't figure for the White Sox is the fact that they're 3½ games behind the Twins at a time when their bullpen is decimated. They would be taking on the Ramirez contract at a time when it appears they might not have the weapons around him to get it done; landing Ramirez now could be like moving some pricey furniture into a burning house.

But the White Sox might also want to claim Ramirez knowing that a) they want him, and b) if he clears waivers and is available to any other team, they simply do not have as much to offer in trade as the Tampa Bay Rays, another team that covets the slugger. If the White Sox place a claim, they would eliminate any other competition for Ramirez.

There is no question about one important fact: Ramirez would have every reason to be motivated and stay on the field for his next team, because he will be playing for a 2011 contract. If he stinks in the last month, the few offers he gets will probably be incentive-laden, and if he has a great September, he could get something in the range of $5 million.

Because as the back of his baseball card says, he's still Manny Ramirez."

Five more days to the waiver wire deadline (the day after the McCourt divorce case begins; how fitting), though the deadline for putting a claim on a player is today.

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comments:

Just announced that S. Strasburg needs Tommy John and will be out 12-18 months. Devastating for Nats. Unlike Marlins or Pirates or teams like that on the bottom, they actually have tried hard to get better and have been willing to spend big money to do so. Feel bad for them and for him.

It's funny b/c in the last week there have been all these stories about how Nats were babying him and they needed to just turn him loose. Guess those writers were way off base.

Yeah most folks come back at least as good if not better after TJ, so not worried about long term prospects in that regard. It's just a long rehab for a guy who was just getting started. Good thing he's mature for his age and will have the mental capacity to keep his eyes on the prize.

Early this morning, approximately 2:30am, Yovanni Gallardo and a Brewers clubhouse attendant, were robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot of a supermarket called Jalisco’s near 20th and Lincoln Streets in Milwaukee.

Both were robbed of money and jewelry.

After both victims complied with the armed bandit’s demands, the robber then struck the Brewers clubhouse attendant in the head with the butt of the handgun. Sources tell me that the Brewers clubhouse attendant did sustain serious injuries. Gallardo was not injured.

I keep thinking of Rob Dibble, who was bitching about how the Nats treated him like porcelain. While I feel bad for Strasburg, I do like the part of this that makes Dibble look like an even bigger ass.